Sorry about the lack of activity over the last few days, we’ve been a bit busy.
For instance, while I was talking to a visitor on Thursday afternoon, the peacock came to call.
On Friday morning we visited Abbots Bromley, home of the Horn Dance. There was no dance, but there was a prize-winning butcher. I bought a pork pie and a Moroccan lamb pie. They both had lovely crispy crusts and plenty of densely packed meat. As usual, I didn’t think to take a photo until they were gone. At the risk of being a bit of a Philistine, I did find them a touch dry, as I like a bit of jelly in my pie and prize-winning pies tend to be a bit too meaty for me. It’s probably a good thing I don’t do a food blog as I’d probably be frowned at for remarks like that.
After that we went to the National Arboretum. It’s the second time we’ve been and it was somehow less impressive than the first time, even though they have done a lot of work. I think this is because it’s now more cluttered and because a lot of the memorials now seem to be made from modern materials. We have to visit at least once more, so we will have to see.
We saw a Little Egret amongst the Canada geese, which was nice, and there were loads of dragonflies and damsel flies on the pond that cost £35,000 to build. Yes £35,000. To put it in context our butterfly garden cost £32.50 plus a lot of volunteer time and donated plants. I’m thinking of building a wildlife pond next – just need to see if someone will give me £35,000 to do it!
And yes, we did see a few memorials too.
These are for the Cockleshell Heroes, 1914 Truce (with game of football) and the Women’s Land Army. There is also a replica trench to commemorate the Great War, though I’m not sure my grandfather would have recognised it.
£35,000 to build a wildlife pond! Seems a lot of money to spend on digging a hole. A neighbour dug a pond along the lane from us in the winter and it has stocked itself with plants and insects all on its own.
That’s my thought too!
Usual good shots
Thanks. 😉
Staffordshire isn’t a part of the country I know well at all. Perhaps I need to make a trip there to find out more…… Abbots Bromley looks a lovely village.
It is. Barton in Needwood is nice too. Burton has brewing museums. Stoke has the pottery. Plenty to do!
Looks like we might have a holiday over there some time then 😊
It’s a much under-rated county. 😉
I think it is….